Computing the Mean of

a Discrete Probability
Distribution
A. Given the values of the variables X and Y, evaluate
the following summations.
X1 = 4 X2 = 2 X3 = 5 X4 = 1
Y1 = 2 Y2 = 1 Y3 = 0 Y4 = 2
 
1. ∑X
2. ∑Y
3. ∑XY
4. ∑(X+Y)
5. ∑4XY

*∑ - summation/sigma
What is “MEAN”?
• The statistical mean refers to the mean or average that is
used to derive the central tendency of the data in question.
• It is determined by adding all the data points in a population
and then dividing the total by the number of points. The
resulting number is known as the mean or the average.
 Number of Spots
Consider rolling a die. What is the average number
of spots that would appear?

These following steps will help:

STEP 1. Construct the probability

distribution for a random variable X
representing the number of spots that
would appear.
 Solution

Number of Spots Probability

X P(x)

1 1/6

2 1/6

3 1/6

4 1/6

5 1/6

6 1/6
 Number of Spots

STEP 2. Multiply the value of the random

variable X by the corresponding probability.
 Solution

Number of Spots Probability

X ● P(X)
X P(x)

1 1/6 1/6

2 1/6 2/6

3 1/6 3/6

4 1/6 4/6

5 1/6 5/6

6 1/6 6/6
 Number of Spots

STEP 3. Add the result obtain in Step 2.

 Solution

Number of Spots Probability

X ● P(X)
X P(x)

1 1/6 1/6

2 1/6 2/6

3 1/6 3/6

4 1/6 4/6

5 1/6 5/6

6 1/6 6/6

∑X ● P(X) = 21/6 = 3.5

CONCLUSION:
So, the mean of the probability
distribution is 3.5, which tells us the
average number of spots that would
appear in a roll of a die.
 Surgery Patients
The probability that a surgeon operates on 3, 4, 5, 6,
or 7 patients in any day are 0.15, 0.10, 0.20, 0.25,
and 0.30, respectively. Find the average number of
patients that a surgeon operates on a day.

These following steps will help:

STEP 1. Construct the probability

distribution for a random variable X
representing the number of spots that
 Solution

Number of Patients Probability

X P(x)

3 0.15

4 0.10

5 0.20

6 0.25

7 0.30
 Number of Spots

STEP 2. Multiply the value of the random

variable X by the corresponding probability.
 Solution

Number of Patients Probability

X ● P(X)
X P(x)

3 0.15 0.45

4 0.10 0.40

5 0.20 1.00

6 0.25 1.50

7 0.30 2.10
 Number of Spots

STEP 3. Add the result obtain in Step 2.

 Solution

Number of Patients Probability

X ● P(X)
X P(x)

3 0.15 0.45

4 0.10 0.40

5 0.20 1.00

6 0.25 1.50

7 0.30 2.10

∑X ● P(X) = 5.45
CONCLUSION:
So, the average number of patients that
a surgeon will operate in a day is 5.45.
 Grocery Items

The probabilities that a customers will buy 1,

2, 3, 4, or 5 items in a grocery store are 3/10,
1/10, 1/10, 2/10, and 3/10, respectively.
What is the average number of items that a
customer will buy? Calculate and interpret.
 ACTIVITY
Answer in a one whole
sheet of paper.
Directions:
Complete the table below and
find the mean of the following
probability distribution.
1. X P(X) X ● P(X)

1 1/7

6 1/7

11 3/7

16 1/7

21 1/7

∑X ● P(X) =
2. X P(X) X ● P(X)

1 3/10

2 1/10

3 2/10

4 2/10

5 2/10

∑X ● P(X) =
3. X P(X) X ● P(X)

3 0.15

6 0.35

8 0.40

10 0.10

∑X ● P(X) =
Computing the Variance
of a Discrete Probability
Distribution
What is “VARIANCE”?
• The Variance is a statistical measure of how much
a set of observations differ from each other.
• The variance is a numerical value used to indicate
how widely individuals in a group vary. If individual
observations vary greatly from the group mean,
the variance is big; and vice versa.
Compute the variance of this frequency
distribution.

Score Number of Students

5 3

8 5

10 4

12 5

15 3
STEP 1
••  
Compute the mean by using the
formula x̅ = .
 Solution

Score Number of Students fX

X f

5 3 15

8 5 40

10 4 40

12 5 60

15 3 45

n
n == 20
20 ∑fX
∑fX =
= 200
200

x ̅ = = 10
STEP 2
•Subtract the mean from each
score. Square the results.
 Solution

Number of
Score
X
Students X - x̅ (X - x)̅ 2
f

5 3 5 – 10 =

8 5 8 – 10 =

10 4 10 – 10 =

12 5 12 – 10 =

15 3 15 – 10 =

n = 20
STEP 3
•Multiply the results by the
corresponding frequency. Add
the results in the f(X - x̅ )2 column.
 Solution

X f X - x̅ (X - x)̅ 2 f(X - x̅)2

5 3 5 – 10 = -5 25

8 5 8 – 10 = -2 4

10 4 10 – 10 = 0 0

12 5 12 – 10 = 2 4

15 3 15 – 10 = 5 25

n = 20 ∑f(X - x̅)2 =
STEP 4
••Compute
  the variance using the
formula

σ² =

To get the standard deviation, get

the square root of the variance.
 Solution

X f X - x̅ (X - x)̅ 2 f(X - x̅)2

5 3 5 – 10 = -5 25 75

8 5 8 – 10 = -2 4 20

10 4 10 – 10 = 0 0 0

12 5 12 – 10 = 2 4 20

15 3 15 – 10 = 5 25 75

n = 20
n = 20 ∑f(X - x̅)22 = 190
∑f(X - x̅) = 190
σ² = =
TAKE NOTE:
The variance and the standard
deviation describe the amount of
spread, dispersion or variability of
the items in a distribution.
Probability Distribution
 Number of Cars Sold

The number of cars sold per day at a local

car dealership, along with corresponding
probabilities (shown in the succeeding
table). Compute the variance and standard
deviation.
Number of Cars Sold Probability
P(x)

0 1/10

1 2/10

2 3/10

3 2/10

4 2/10
 Number of Cars Sold

STEP 1. Find the mean of the

probability distribution using the
formula

μ = ∑X ● P(X)
 Solution

Number of Cars
Probability
Sold X ● P(X)
P(x)

0 1/10 0

1 2/10 2/10

2 3/10 6/10

3 2/10 6/10

4 2/10 8/10

μ = ∑X ● P(X) = 22/10 = 2.2

 Number of Cars Sold

STEP 2. Subtract the mean from each

value of the random variable X.
 Solution

X P(x) X ● P(X) X-μ

0 1/10 0 0 – 2.2 = -2.2

1 2/10 2/10 1 – 2.2 = -1.2

2 3/10 6/10 2 – 2.2 = -0.2

3 2/10 6/10 3 – 2.2 = 0.8

4 2/10 8/10 4 – 2.2 = 1.8

 Number of Cars Sold

STEP 3. Square the result obtain in

Step 2.
 Solution

X P(x) X ● P(X) X-μ (X – μ)2

0 1/10 0 0 – 2.2 = -2.2 4.84

1 2/10 2/10 1 – 2.2 = -1.2 1.44

2 3/10 6/10 2 – 2.2 = -0.2 0.04

3 2/10 6/10 3 – 2.2 = 0.8 0.64

4 2/10 8/10 4 – 2.2 = 1.8 3.24

 Number of Cars Sold

STEP 4. Multiply the result obtain in

Step 3 by the corresponding
probability.
 Solution

X P(X) X ● P(X) X-μ (X – μ)2 (X – μ)2 ● P(X)

0 1/10 0 0 – 2.2 = -2.2 4.84 0.484

1 2/10 2/10 1 – 2.2 = -1.2 1.44 0.288

2 3/10 6/10 2 – 2.2 = -0.2 0.04 0.012

3 2/10 6/10 3 – 2.2 = 0.8 0.64 0.128

4 2/10 8/10 4 – 2.2 = 1.8 3.24 0.648

 Number of Cars Sold

STEP 5. Get the sum of the result

obtained in Step 4. The result is the
value of the variance. So, the formula
of variance is

σ² = ∑(X – μ)2 ● P(X)

 Solution

X P(X) X ● P(X) X-μ (X – μ)2 (X – μ)2 ● P(X)

0 1/10 0 0 – 2.2 = -2.2 4.84 0.484

1 2/10 2/10 1 – 2.2 = -1.2 1.44 0.288

2 3/10 6/10 2 – 2.2 = -0.2 0.04 0.012

3 2/10 6/10 3 – 2.2 = 0.8 0.64 0.128

4 2/10 8/10 4 – 2.2 = 1.8 3.24 0.648

σ² = ∑(X – μ)2 ● P(X) = 1.56

 Number of Cars Sold

STEP 6. Get the square root of the

variance to get the standard deviation.
 Solution
The variance of the probability distribution is
1.56
The standard deviation is σ =  √1.56 = 1.25.
 Formula for the Variance and
Standard Deviation of a Discrete
Probability Distribution
• Variance of a discrete probability distribution:
σ² = ∑(X – μ)2 ● P(X)
• Standard Deviation of a discrete probability
distribution:
σ² = √∑(X – μ)2 ● P(X)
where:
X = value of the random variable
P(X) = probability of the random variable X
μ = mean of the probability distribution